Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is the most wonderful time of the year… Okay, maybe it’s not for everyone. But the kids love it! Dressing up as their favourite heroine, idol, or creepy creature can be so much fun! So when October 31st rolls around this year, we have some wickedly good tips to keep all trick-or-treaters safe.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Ahhh, the memories. Freezing cold fingers trying to hold your pillowcase open for treats, buying a costume three sizes too big so it will fit over your winter jacket, and having a parent driving in a car following you so that you can warm up… These are all part of a classic Canadian Halloween. Well, kids today are also celebrating the spirit of Halloween. They’re getting outside, even in frigid temperatures, and moving around for hours (even if it is for a bunch of candy… at least they’re working for it!)

When kids are out trick-or-treating, they are excited and will likely forget some of their common sense skills when they are on busy roads or around neighbourhoods. A lot of costumes are black so that is an extra caution to be aware of.

Halloween can be a spooky good time if we all just take a few extra precautions.

Drivers

If you’re out and about this Halloween, remember that kids will be out all evening long to get treats and have fun scaring their friends. Take extra precaution when driving around neighbourhoods and drive below the posted speed limit on side streets. Make sure your lights are always on to let children know that you’re driving and to see children that might be walking off the sidewalks.

If you are going out to any parties for Halloween, be sure to find a safe ride home if you are drinking (this goes for all the time, not just Halloween) or designate a friend in your group to be the responsible driver.

Parents and Trick-Or-Treaters

Avoid masked costumes if at all possible. They can obscure vision, making it difficult to see traffic or decorations that may be in yards.

Halloween is a dark a spooky holiday, but it’s a great idea to dress in light-coloured costumes. We all know how quickly it gets dark on Halloween so having bright costumes will allow children to be seen by vehicles and people (so you can keep track of your kid excitedly running from house to house!) You could even put a strip of reflective tape on costumes to help even more!

Dress for the weather. One year, grade 6, I went trick-or-treating in just cotton finger gloves on my fingers and they swelled like little sausages because I was SO COLD. So make sure your child is dressed in appropriate winter gear and their costume is not dragging on the ground or anything that would be a potential tripping hazard, like big shoes or heels.

If your children are going parentless with friends, remind them of critical safety: have a flashlight and cell phone (if possible). Always travel in groups and don’t visit any houses that are not well lit. They’re probably not home anyway and also enjoying the Halloween festivities.

Do not criss-cross to get each house. It’s more time-consuming and dangerous. Go up one side of the street, safely cross, and then go up the other side.

Halloween is a good time to be had for all. Just be extra cautious while driving or trick-or-treating around the city. And send me your Reese Peanut Butter Cups! I need to taste test all of them to make sure they’re good. 😉